U.S. patent application number 12/791414 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-23 for content engine for mobile communications systems.
Invention is credited to Q. James Hu, Bo Lee.
Application Number | 20100241761 12/791414 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42314143 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100241761 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Bo ; et al. |
September 23, 2010 |
Content Engine for Mobile Communications Systems
Abstract
An exemplary content engine includes a content gateway
configured to analyze and route content requests to a content
server. The content server can be a cache server or a mobile
content server. The cache server can be configured to receive and
store cacheable web content from a controller that is configured to
receive the cacheable web content from at least one cacheable web
content provider, such as a web server, and route the content to
the cache server. The mobile content server can be configured to
receive, from the controller, and store the digital media content.
The controller can be further configured to receive the digital
media content from at least one external content server and route
the content to the mobile content server. The content gateway can
be further configured to receive non-cacheable web content from at
least one non-cacheable web content provider.
Inventors: |
Lee; Bo; (Alpharetta,
GA) ; Hu; Q. James; (Sammamish, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AT&T Legal Department - PK;Attn: Patent Docketing
One AT&T Way, Room 2A-207
Bedminster
NJ
07921
US
|
Family ID: |
42314143 |
Appl. No.: |
12/791414 |
Filed: |
June 1, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11752199 |
May 22, 2007 |
7756130 |
|
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12791414 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/242 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/2814 20130101;
H04L 67/2842 20130101; H04L 67/289 20130101; H04L 67/34 20130101;
H04W 88/18 20130101; H04L 67/2823 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/242 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/173 20060101
G06F015/173 |
Claims
1. A method for content provisioning via an intra-network content
engine, the method comprising: receiving a content request;
analyzing said content request to determine to which content server
said content request should be routed, wherein said content server
is one of a cache server and a mobile content server; routing said
content request to said cache server, if the requested content is
cacheable web content; routing said content request to said mobile
content server, if the requested content is digital media content;
routing said content request to a non-cacheable web content
provider, if the requested content is non-cacheable web content;
retrieving the requested content from the appropriate source; and
sending the requested content to the requesting mobile device.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said content request is compared
to a lookup table to determine if the requested content is cached,
said lookup table being stored within a content gateway and updated
by said cache server.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending the
requested content to a content format modifier to modify the
content in accordance with specifications of the requesting mobile
device.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said specifications are provided
by an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said specifications are provided
by at least one of a make, model, and revision number of the
requesting mobile device.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more rules are used to
determine the routing scheme.
7. An intra-network content engine configured to process content
requests from a plurality of mobile devices, the content engine
comprising: a content gateway configured to analyze and route
content requests to the appropriate content server, wherein the
content server is one of a cache server and a mobile content
server; said cache server being configured to receive cacheable web
content from a controller and store said cacheable web content;
said controller being configured to receive said cacheable web
content from at least one cacheable web content provider and route
said cacheable web content to said cache server; said mobile
content server being configured to receive digital media content
from said controller and store said digital media content; said
controller being further configured to receive said digital media
content from at least one external content server and route said
digital media content to said mobile content server; and said
content gateway being further configured to receive non-cacheable
web content from at least one non-cacheable web content
provider.
8. The content engine of claim 7 further comprising a content
format modifier, said content format modifier being configured to
format digital media content to adhere to specifications of the
requesting mobile device.
9. The content engine of claim 8 wherein said specifications are
provided by an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
10. The content engine of claim 9 wherein said specifications are
provided by at least one of a make, model, and revision number of
the requesting mobile device.
11. The content engine of claim 7 wherein said non-cacheable web
content provider is a web server.
12. The content engine of claim 7 wherein said cacheable web
content provider is a web server.
13. The content engine of claim 7, wherein said content request is
compared to a lookup table to determine if the requested content is
cached, said lookup table being stored within said content gateway
and updated by said cache server.
14. The content engine of claim 7 wherein one of said cache server
and said content gateway comprises one or more rules to determine
the routing scheme.
15. The content engine of claim 7 wherein one of said cache server
and said content gateway comprises one or more rules to determine
if the requested content is cacheable.
16. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable
instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of: receiving
a content request; analyzing said content request to determine to
which content server said content request should be routed, wherein
said content server is one of a cache server and a mobile content
server; routing said content request to said cache server, if the
requested content is cacheable web content; routing said content
request to said mobile content server, if the requested content is
digital media content; routing said content request to a
non-cacheable web content provider, if the requested content is
non-cacheable web content; retrieving the requested content from
the appropriate source; and sending the requested content to the
requesting mobile device.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said content
request is compared to a lookup table to determine if the requested
content is cached, said lookup table being stored within a content
gateway and updated by a cache server.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising the
step of sending the requested content to a content format modifier
to modify the content in accordance with specifications of the
requesting mobile device.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein said
specifications are provided by an International Mobile Equipment
Identity (IMEI).
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein said
specifications are provided by at least one of a make, model, and
revision number of the requesting mobile device.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/752,199, filed May 22, 2007, the entirety of which is herein
incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to content
provisioning. More particularly, the present invention relates to
content provisioning via an intra-network content engine in a
wireless communications network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The recent deployment of 3G networks has made a wide array
of content types available to wireless subscribers. Multimedia
content, such as music, games, and movies, and content rich
websites and web applications, create an abundance of network
traffic between a content provider residing outside of the wireless
operator's network and the core and access subsystems of the
network. The interfaces used for communication between the external
content providers and the operator's network are inefficient and
incapable of providing end-to-end quality of service (QoS) for
content requests. As such, the operator's network is used as an
intermediary to deliver content to subscribers. This places an
inordinate amount of traffic load on the network systems. Moreover,
the need to send and resend the same content for multiple
subscribers places additional strain on network resources.
[0004] In addition, external content providers target general users
and cannot properly consider and adapt content to a format
conducive to mobile devices in general, let alone a format
configured specifically for a particular mobile device.
[0005] Thus, what is needed are new systems and novel methods to
optimize content provisioning to mobile subscribers, to minimize
the amount of data traversing the operator's network at any given
time and, to increase the overall system response time. As will be
seen by the following description, such new systems and novel
methods allow mobile subscribers to experience less latency, better
QoS, and increased throughput, resulting in better content
presentation. Wireless operators can also benefit by reduced
expense associated with less redundant capacity, simpler operation
and easier maintenance associated with the present invention, as
well as becoming the true content provider instead of an
intermediary. Content providers also benefit from increased usage
of their content.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The aforementioned deficiencies are overcome by providing an
intra-network content engine for processing content requests from a
plurality of mobile devices. An exemplary intra-network content
engine includes a content gateway configured to analyze and route
content requests to a content server. The content server can be a
cache server or a mobile content server. The cache server can be
configured to receive and store cacheable web content from a
controller that is configured to receive the cacheable web content
from at least one cacheable web content provider, such as a web
server, and route the content to the cache server. The mobile
content server can be configured to receive and store the digital
media content. The controller can be further configured to receive
the digital media content from at least one external content server
and route the content to the mobile content server. The content
gateway can be further configured to receive non-cacheable web
content from at least one non-cacheable web content provider.
[0007] An exemplary method for content provisioning via the
intra-network content engine includes the steps of receiving a
content request; analyzing the content request to determine to
which content server the content request should be routed, wherein
the content server is one of a cache server and a mobile content
server; routing the content request to the cache server, if the
requested content is cacheable web content; routing the content
request to the mobile content server, if the requested content is
digital media content; routing the content request to a
non-cacheable web content provider, if the requested content is
non-cacheable web content; retrieving the requested content from
the appropriate source; and sending the requested content to the
requesting mobile device.
[0008] A computer-readable medium that includes computer-executable
instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of the
foregoing method is also provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary communications system in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary content engine in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary methodology for processing a
content request by the exemplary content engine of FIG. 2,
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein. It must be understood that the disclosed
embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be
embodied in various and alternative forms, and combinations
thereof. As used herein, the word "exemplary" is used expansively
to refer to embodiments that serve as an illustration, specimen,
model or pattern. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some
features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of
particular components. In other instances, well-known components,
systems, materials or methods have not been described in detail in
order to avoid obscuring the present invention. Therefore, specific
structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be
interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and
as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to
variously employ the present invention.
[0013] Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals
represent like elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1
illustrates a communications network 100 in which the present
invention may be implemented. Multiple access network types may be
used to access content provided by a content engine 102 in
accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. By
way of example and not limitation, the illustrated access network
types include a GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN) 104, a UMTS
Terrestrial RAN (UTRAN) 106, a Wireless LAN access system (WLAN)
108, and a Long term Evolution access (LTE) system 110.
Corresponding mobile devices 112 are illustrated as being in
communication with the various access networks.
[0014] The GERAN 104 and UTRAN 106 are illustrated as being in
communication with a GPRS core network 114 that may be further
configured with an inter-network function 116 to facilitate
communication with the WLAN 108. The WLAN 108 is also in
communication with a System Architecture Evolution (SAE) core 118
that in turn in communication with an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem)
core 120 and the LTE access system 110. The IMS core 120 is also in
communication with the GPRS core network 114.
[0015] The GPRS core network 114, IMS core 120 and SAE core 118 are
each in communication with one or more corporate content servers
122. A corporate content server 122 can provide operator-originated
content; that is, content that does not originate from an external
content provider. For example, proprietary ringtones, music files,
videos and the like may be provided by a corporate content server
122. Although illustrated as a separate network element, the
corporate content server(s) 122 may be included in the content
engine 102.
[0016] The GPRS core network 114 and SAE core 118 are also in
communication with the content engine 102 that in turn is in
communication, via a firewall 124, with external content providers
126. As illustrated, the external content providers 126 can provide
non-cacheable and cacheable web content, such as websites and web
applications, and other content. Other content can include digital
media content, for example, e-books, ringtones, ringback tones,
music files, video files, movies, video games, news feeds (e.g.,
via RSS (Real Simple Syndication)), sports score feeds, weather,
and other content made available via one or more external content
providers.
[0017] The content engine 102 is also in communication with other
non-3GPP systems 132, in which the present invention may also be
practiced. The content engine 102 is now described below with
reference to FIG. 2.
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a content engine 102 in accordance with
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated
content engine 102 includes a controller 200, a cache server 202, a
content format modifier 204, a content gateway 206, and a mobile
content server 208. The functionality of each of these elements is
described below in detail.
[0019] The controller 200 provides gateway functionality to content
provisioning systems, such as the external content providers 126.
The controller 200 may include the firewall 124 and may perform
filtering functions in accordance with filtering parameters
determined by the operator. The controller 200 is also configured
to route content within the engine to the appropriate processing
components.
[0020] To the external content providers 126, the controller 200
performs client functions to cache websites and load content. In
certain implementations, it may be beneficial to provide formatted
content for a mobile device type or specific device configuration.
In these implementations, the controller 200 can route content to
the content format modifier 204 for reformatting content to adhere
to specifications of the requesting mobile device. Afterwards, the
reformatted content can be sent to the mobile content server 208
and stored. Content that does not need to be reformatted can be
sent directly to the mobile content server 208.
[0021] For cacheable websites, the controller 200 forwards the
content to the cache server 202 to be cached. From the mobile
device perspective, the controller 200 may be invisible and the
content provided to the mobile device may be presented as it would
if the content was delivered directly from the original content
provider.
[0022] Web content that is updated or refreshed may be done so
automatically or based upon a schedule maintained by the controller
or the cache server. These setting may be configured by the
operator or by the client device.
[0023] The cache server 202 is configured to function as a website
server for cacheable web content. Cacheable content is received by
the controller 200 and forwarded to the cache server 202 for
storage. The cache server 202 provides pre-caching of web content
in an effort to reduce latency and improve access time for the
mobile devices 112.
[0024] The content gateway 206 may be configured to determine if
incoming content should or should not be cached. By way of example,
content sent from virtual private networks (VPN), such as in many
enterprise applications, are not cacheable. Private data, such as
that exchanged in web sessions with bank accounts or personal email
accounts are other examples of non-cacheable content.
[0025] In one embodiment, the content gateway 206 can be configured
to store and maintain a lookup table of the current cache in the
cache server 202. Likewise, the cache server 202 may be configured
to send updates to the content gateway 206 on an as-needed or
periodic basis to update the lookup table. The content gateway 206
may also store a record of all content requests and may itself
request that specific websites be cached; for example, if access to
a website exceeds a pre-determined threshold value, then a request
may be sent to the cache server requesting that the website be
cached for future use. Either or both of the content gateway 206
and the cache server 202 may be configured with a plurality of
rules to determine if a website is cacheable and if a website needs
to be cached, based upon previous usage data, for example.
Generally, the caching rules can be developed based upon the
business needs of the mobile operator.
[0026] The mobile content server 208 is the digital media content
server to the network subscribers. The digital media content
received from the external content providers is formatted (if
necessary) and readied to be sent to the mobile device 112 via the
content gateway 206 upon request. Maintaining all content within
the operator's network as opposed to the operator substituting as
an intermediary between the end user and the content provider
allows the mobile operator to provide content with less latency,
better QoS, and increased throughput, resulting in better content
presentation
[0027] The content gateway 206 provides an interface to the packet
core network. For 3GPP applications, such as the illustrated
embodiment, the Gi interface is used. The content gateway 206
receives requests from mobile devices and routes the request to the
mobile content server 208 for content such as ringtone, music, or
videos. For cacheable content, the requests are routed to the cache
server 202. The content gateway 206 also routes the requested
content to the mobile devices 112 from these elements.
[0028] The content gateway 206 may also be configured with firewall
and/or filtering functions to reduce potential contamination of the
content being exchanged between the content engine 102 and the
mobile devices 112, and to reduce the likelihood of a security
breach.
[0029] The content gateway 206 may be further configured to steer
traffic by maintaining an index of all available websites,
applications, and individual content currently or scheduled to be
available from the cache server 202 and/or mobile content server
208. Lookup tables for the cache server 202 and/or the mobile
content server 208 may provide this information. The lookup tables
may be updated by the host server (i.e., either the cache server
202 or the mobile content server 208) via periodic updates or
as-needed.
[0030] Service management functions 210 and administrative
functions 212 are also in communication with the content engine
102. Service management functions can include, but are not limited
to, maintaining licensing agreements for copyright protected
content. Administrative functions 212 can include content engine
102 software, hardware, or firmware upgrades, and account
management features, such as account creation, account closure, and
communication with the operator's billing system to bill for
billable content.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram of an exemplary
method for provisioning content via an inter-network content
engine, such as content engine 202, is illustrated. The method 300
begins and proceeds to step 302 wherein a content request is
received at the content gateway 206. The content gateway 206 can
determine, based upon information in the content request, the type
of content that is being requested. More particularly, whether the
content is web content, or other content, such as a digital media
content. This determination is illustrated as step 304.
[0032] If it is determined that the content is web content, flow
proceeds to step 306 wherein a determination is made as to whether
the web content is cached. If the content is not cached, flow
proceeds to step 308 wherein a determination is made as to whether
the web content is cacheable. This determination may be made by
processing the request in accordance with a plurality of rules to
determine if the content is cacheable. Moreover, historical data
such as provided by lookup table records may be used to aid in this
determination.
[0033] If it is determined that the content is not cacheable, flow
proceeds to step 310 wherein the requested content is retrieved
from the external content provider 126 associated with the
requested content. For example, the external content provider 126
may be a bank account server that contains personal data that
should not be cached. The content gateway 206 then sends the
requested content to the requesting mobile device 112 at step 312.
If, however, it is determined that the content is cacheable, the
content gateway 206 forwards the content request to the controller
200 at step 314. The controller 200 can then retrieve the content
and send the content to the content gateway 206 at step 316. The
content gateway 206 can forward the content to the requesting
mobile device 112 at step 312.
[0034] If the content is cached, as determined in step 306, the
content gateway 206 can forward the content request to the cache
server 202 at step 318. The content gateway 206 receives the
content from the cache server 202 at step 320 and forwards the
content to the requesting mobile device 112 at step 312.
[0035] If it is determined at step 304 that the content request
type is for other content, the flow proceeds to step 322 and the
content gateway 206 retrieves the requested content from the mobile
content server 208. The request may include a device type or other
device specifications for which the requested content is to be
formatted. By way of example and not limitation, this information
may be provided via an International Mobile Equipment Identity
(IMEI) or by at least one of the make, model, and revision of the
mobile device. The mobile content server 208 may be configured to
store a plurality of different configurations for the stored
content, such as the most often used format types. In this
embodiment, the mobile content server 208 could retrieve the
appropriately formatted content and return it to the content
gateway 206. The content gateway 206 then forwards the content to
the requesting mobile device 112 at step 312.
[0036] The law does not require and it is economically prohibitive
to illustrate and teach every possible embodiment of the present
claims. Hence, the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary
illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear
understanding of the principles of the invention. Variations,
modifications, and combinations may be made to the above-described
embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims. All
such variations, modifications, and combinations are included
herein by the scope of this disclosure and the following
claims.
* * * * *